1. Field of the Invention:
The invention relates to an insert for a bed in the form of a grating having spring slats extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the bed, each of the slats comprising two strips of equal length spaced apart from each other by elastic form bodies, whereby elastic support bodies are provided on the bottom of the lower strips for supporting the insert on a rigid support frame.
A device of this general kind is known from European Patent EP-B1 151 218. The support according to that publication, however, lacks any suggestion towards elastic support bodies between the lower strips and the rigid support frame. In the known device the rigid support consists of two longitudinal carriers which extend at a lateral distance from the ends of the spring slats. With such a configuration it is rather difficult to attain a satisfactory elasticity distribution transversely to the longitudinal axis of the bed, i.e. it can hardly be avoided that areas of substantially decreased flexibility result along the supporting longitudinal carriers as well as along the longitudinal axis of symmetry and, furthermore, the marginal regions show a rather unaesthetic tendency to bend upwardly.
It is useful, as it is known from European published patent application EP-A1 385 121, to interconnect the support and/or form bodies of adjacent spring slats or to produce them from a uniform elastic body, in particular from Latex. The connection between the support and form bodies on the one hand and the strips on the other hand can thereby be effected, as also shown in EP-A1 385 121, by wrapping the elastic bodies with a fabric and by extending the strips through splice straps or tongues of the wrapping. Connecting the support or form bodies in the longitudinal direction has the advantage that the spring slats are interconnected to form a uniform grating which can be easily handled and, for example, be rolled up.
A structurally simple solution for the lateral support bodies is characterized in that the lateral support bodies disposed at the ends of the lower strips are formed of a single piece with the form bodies spacing the upper from the lower strips. Elastic support bodies which support spring slats on a rigid insert are also known from European patent application EP-A-0 274 371. They can only serve, however, to either receive two strips or to support on one support. Sufficient elasticity of the form body is only given when one of its two openings remains free. At the location where the spring slat is supported, it must always be formed of a single part. On the other hand, a second strip protruding through the second bore for stiffening the carrying strip can only be provided in the unsupported region.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a slat grating insert for a bed, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and which provides uniform and adjustable flexibility in all areas of the bed.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an insert for a bed having a rigid frame and a longitudinal axis, comprising a slat grating formed of spring slats extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the bed, each of the slats including an upper and a lower strip of substantially equal length spaced one above the other, the strips having ends and a central region, elastic form bodies spacing the upper and lower strips apart from one another, elastic support bodies disposed below the lower strips for supporting the insert on the rigid frame, the elastic support bodies being disposed below the ends and the center of the lower strips for supporting the lower strips.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the elastic support bodies are provided at all of the ends of the lower strips.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the insert includes means for connecting adjacent elastic support bodies to one another.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the elastic support bodies disposed at the ends of the lower springs are formed in one piece with the form bodies for spacing the upper and lower strips from one another.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the form bodies and the support bodies have protrusions formed thereon and the upper and lower strips have openings formed therein for receiving the protrusions. This assures that the support bodies remain locked in their respective locations.
In accordance with again another feature of the invention, the support bodies which are disposed at the ends of the strips are less elastic than the support bodies disposed in the center of the strips.
In accordance with again an added feature of the invention, the support bodies disposed at the ends of the strips are formed of solid rubber and the support bodies disposed at the centers are formed of foamed rubber.
In accordance with again a further feature of the invention, the form bodies for spacing the strips apart are disposed only at the ends of the strips.
In accordance with yet an additional a feature of the invention, the form bodies for spacing the strips apart are disposed only between the support bodies.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the form bodies disposed between the support bodies are displaceable along the strips.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the form bodies are formed of foamed rubber.
It is an essential advantage of the central disposition of the elastic support bodies for the lower strips according to the invention that in this way the flexibility of the individual spring slats along the longitudinal direction of the bed may be varied. When the distancing form bodies, which are disposed between the ends and the centers of the strips, are pushed towards the ends, then the upper strip is bent fully and it is held together with the lower strip essentially by the centrally disposed support body. When the spacer form bodies are pushed toward the center, however, a substantial stiffening of the spring slats is attained since sagging is no longer possible when the spacer form body and the centrally disposed support body are compressed. This interaction of the strips and the form and support bodies works best when the strips are no thicker than approximately 5-6 mm, and when the form and support bodies are made of a foam material, in particular a foam rubber.
The invention, in contrast to the prior art, attains a harmonic and uniform distribution in the flexibility of the insert while at the same time limiting its sagging, in that elastic support bodies are provided at least in the center of the lower strips which are supported only in the center and at the ends.
Although it is the essential object of the invention to elastically limit the sagging of two-part spring slats, it is useful to also elastically support the ends of the spring slats, in order to make the flexibility of the slat grating transversely to the longitudinal direction of the bed as evenly distributed as possible. It will thus be usual to also provide elastic support bodies at the ends of the lower strips.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a slat grating insert for a bed, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.